Anything But Harmless
by TwoTrack
Summary: Sirius was content. For once in his life everything’s as he likes. But apparently Remus wants something more than just content, than just happy.


**Anything But Harmless  
**_Chapter 1: The Corner. Bad Remedies. Betrayal.  
_**Story Rating: **M  
**Chapter Rating: **K+  
**Summary: **Sirius was content. For once in his life everything's as he likes. But apparently Remus wants something more than just content, than just happy.  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing related to the Harry Potter books or movies. All credit goes to J.K. Rowling and the producers.

* * *

Sirius cocked his head to the left. Remus had often told him that it made his canine resemblance more prominent than ever, but somehow Sirius's head cocked to the right didn't have quite the same effect. They'd spent a good ten minutes afterward discussing the finer points of Sirius's many gestures, until Sirius had grown weary of it and flung himself onto Remus's bed. And landed, conveniently, on Remus's lower stomach. Of course, that had forestalled anymore comments about Sirius's head-cocking.

Now, though, Remus was too absorbed to notice Sirius at all.

It didn't hurt his feelings, exactly. Remus was often absorbed in things; Sirius just liked it better when such things were himself, a book he could snap shut, some socks he could take away, some chocolate he could snatch. Something involving Sirius. Or that was what Sirius's ego liked best anyway.

Who was _that_ interested in a ceiling corner of their mangy room anyway?

Sirius checked out the corner himself from his bed. Howard's Streeler had been caught long ago. Sirius didn't fancy his family's Runespoor would have somehow been transported to Hogwarts via his trunk, either, or that any other small animals could have made it into the boy's dormitories. The house elves were thorough, and got rid of anything they knew weren't the boy's pets. He looked to Remus again, frowning. What could have the boy so lost in thought? He was regularly, but then his thoughts were usually being hastily transcribed onto some parchment or other. And now, nothing.

Sirius Black sighed. No, it wasn't just Remus not paying attention to him that hurt. It was Remus not telling him what was wrong when something obviously was and had been for some time. He wished the other boy were not so laconic; but even so, Sirius was his best mate. And more. He ought to know.

In his annoyance, Sirius threw the pillow he had been sitting on. It landed on Remus's head and stayed there for a few seconds, until Remus pulled it off. He then rolled onto his side briefly, gave Sirius an undecipherable look, then turned to lay on his back once again.

Well.

He decided Remus's attention would next be best gotten with a Remembrall Peter had left on his bed. With a flick of his wand, Sirius made the small ball jump from it's perch on Peter's pillow to Remus's chest. He kept his tone casual as he said, "So, Moony, what's up?"

"Nothing, Sirius."

Sirius stared. It was so obvious there was something deep Remus was thinking about, and that he wouldn't tell Sirius. This behaviour would be best remedied by, by….

Another pillow.

It landed on Remus's head once again, but this time as he flung it off, Remus escaped to the doorway with the speed only a werewolf could manage. Sirius was left stunned on the bed. Behaving more wolfish than ever, he growled and scampered off his bed to the door, grabbing James's Invisibility Cloak along the way.

* * *

_Bibliophile_, thought Sirius sullenly. He lurked just outside the doorway, but after a large Hufflepuff nearly trampled him, he decided the lurking would be more safely done inside.

He knew Remus often came to the library, but almost never after hours. Remus had enough books to occupy him below his own bed then.

Passing between bookshelves, Sirius followed the only source of light in the room. It was foolhardy to make any sign; he was suddenly worried. What could be bothering Remus so much as to make him so careless?

Focused on this mistake, Sirius was alarmed when he felt someone pass by him. Not close enough to touch, but far too close nonetheless. Then a voice, "Idiot, you'll be seen-"

Sirius stopped breathing. Remus sat at the table, the speaker commanding his attention. Now that Sirius looked closer, he could see Remus's face open up, become softer and a small smile. He was incredulous; when was the last time Remus had smiled like that to him? And why would he be smiling like that to his brazen imp, this child, this Slytherin, Sirius's own-

Remus moved fluidly from his seat, as fluidly as he'd fled their dormitory a half hour before. He stepped up to this imposter and wrapping his arms around him, kissed him full on the mouth.

_-brother?_

Sirius didn't trust his stomach to not betray him by throwing up. He didn't trust his legs as they trembled beneath him, nor his hand as it seized his wand; but most of he didn't trust his mouth as it opened and let out a yell.

The two boys broke apart and looked wildly in his direction. They were startled, and scared; Sirius had forgotten he still wore the cloak.

He tore the cloak from his body, wanting them to see, to know that he knew and know he was betrayed. Then he turned and dashed from the library.

* * *

**A/N: **This _could_ be a one-shot. Except it'd be mighty long. And I wanted to post something right now anyway. So perhaps in the future I'll condense it, but maybe not.  
I got the plot bunny I think from some livejournal thing. If I ever find it again I'll post it. The title is from Dawn Lionheart at the Title Thread at FictionAlley. 


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